Stella Maris College, Manly

🌟 Award for Year 12 'VET Entertainment’ Student 🌟

Last week, Year 12 student Zoe won the Central and Northern Sydney Region VET Student of the Year at the NSW Training Awards!

After impressing judges in three rigorous rounds—nominations, video submissions, and interviews—she secured her place among the top three and took home the win.

Zoe is a well-deserved recipient, and this award celebrates her dedication to staging, crewing, and technical production, where she’s built expertise over four years. From stage-managing productions like Matilda, Shrek, and 2025 Stella Cabaret to mentoring younger students by sharing her knowledge and fostering their growth, her hard work is truly inspiring. 🚀

🎭✨ Year 12 Entertainment students ✨🎭

Last week our Year 12 Entertainment students, which includes three students from St Augustine's College - Sydney, had an unforgettable 3-part excursion that took their learning to the next level!

First, they experienced the magic of live theatre at The Big Top in the Entertainment Quarter, where they saw “Come Alive” , the Greatest Showman Circus spectacular with breathtaking circus artistry and larger-than-life musical numbers.

Next, they went backstage at the Sydney Theatre Company for an exclusive tour. This was a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes of professional theatre, looking at props, costume, scenic arts and set departments.

Final destination was the Sydney Vivid Light Festival where they explored the intersection of light, music, and digital art.

What a fantastic way to uncover all the behind-the-scenes secrets that bring these shows to life!

🌟 Stella Day 2026 🌟

In the spirit of Hospitality our community came together yesterday to celebrate our Good Samaritan Benedictine heritage by raising money for the Good Samaritan Foundation which supports and empowers vulnerable women and children in Australia, Kiribati, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.

Stella Day began with mass at St Mary’s church in Manly where students and staff gathered together in prayer and celebration as a community, reminding us of who we are and the values that unite us.

The Mass was followed by three hours of fun activities and food stalls run by our SRC.
The students and staff dress up and cheer each other on during the Lip Sync Battle and the Battle of the Bands competitions - our students and staff go ‘ALL IN’!

It was wonderful to see our students and staff celebrating together in true Stella fashion all while making a real difference! 💛

Don’t miss the Performing Arts Winter Series! 🎶🩰

Get ready to be amazed! Our 'Performing Arts Winter Series' is here, and the talent on stage will blow you away.

Join us for two unforgettable nights: 🎵 Music Night – on 17 June and
💃 Dance Night on 23 June (this being an additional show after the first two sold out)

These performances showcase everything our students have learned and created in class this semester and will highlight their hard work, dedication and passion.

Grab your tickets now using the Trybooking links in last week's newsletter

UPCOMING SCHOOL PHOTOS 📸

📆 With less than 2 weeks until photo day please pop the date in your diary and if you haven't already ordered a photo package or sibling photos (for those with more than one student at Stella wishing to order one), pop over to the Advanced Life website and order now.

🗣️ HAVE YOUR SAY DAY 2026 🔊: Amplifying Youth Voices on the Northern Beaches!

Last night, Have Your Say Day 2026 brought together young people aged 12–24 and local leaders for a powerful youth-led initiative. This annual event, which was proudly hosted by Stella Maris College, provides a direct platform for young voices to engage with decision-makers, share their concerns, and shape the conversation on issues that matter most to them.

This year, 2,368 young people shared their insights through a survey, and student leaders from local high schools presented their findings to representatives, including

and Mayor Sue Heins and Deputy Mayor Cr Candy Bingham along with many other Councillor's from the Northern Beaches Council.

🌟 Key topics discussed: From transport and mental health to cost of living, environment, and addiction, students highlighted pressing concerns and shared their ideas for practical change. The Q&A sessions were a standout moment—giving youth the chance to speak directly with leaders and hear their perspectives on creating real impact.

🙌 A huge thank you to the student leaders from Stella Maris College, , NBSC Cromer Campus, Mackellar Campus and Balgowlah Boys Campus , Killarney Heights High School
, Saint Augustine's College and

This event proves that when we listen to young people, we create stronger, more inclusive communities. Let’s keep the conversation going!

Careers Discovery Morning // 🌟 Exploring Futures

The Polding Centre was alive with curiosity yesterday morning as nearly 100 students from Years 10–12 dove into their future pathways at our Careers Discovery Morning!

Thanks to the generosity of our inspiring Stella parents, and alumni, students explored a world of career possibilities—connecting with mentors from AI and technology to banking, nursing, real estate, fashion, conservation, and everything in between.

A huge thank you to our career mentors for sharing their wisdom and passion—we can’t wait for the next opportunity to connect and inspire!

🌼 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 🌼 - to all the very special Mums, Grandmas and maternal figures in the Stella community.

This Mother’s Day message is an excerpt of the speech shared by our school captains during Friday’s breakfast—capturing just how deeply our mothers shape our lives every single day.